Guinea president fires ministers after deadly protests

TVC E. Guinea’s President Alpha Conde fired three ministers, according to a decree read on state television on Monday, following violent protests over a teachers’ strike last week in which seven people were killed and dozens more were injured.

Ibrahima Kourouma, the minister of pre-university education, and Civil Service Minister Sekou Kourouma were removed along with Environment Minister Christine Sagno, the decree said.

Though the decree gave no reason for the dismissals, a senior government official, who asked not to be named, said the sackings of Ibrahima Kourouma and Sekou Kourouma were directly linked to the strike.

The government agreed to a deal to end the strike last week.

Teachers in Guinea walked out early this month over the government’s decision to dismiss or cut the salaries of many junior staff after the latest civil service exams. Their students then took to the streets to support them.

The protests turned violent when demonstrators clashed with gendarmes in several neighborhoods of the capital Conarky.